The Zonta Club has challenged the Ministry of Education to take decisive action against sexual abuse in schools, demanding the dismissal and prosecution of teachers and head teachers found to have abused children entrusted to their care.
The organization is also calling for swift, independent investigations into reported cases, stronger safeguarding systems, and accountability for school authorities who conceal abuse or retaliate against survivors.
In a press release on Friday, October 16, Zonta described the sexual abuse of schoolgirls by teachers and head teachers as a grave betrayal of trust, insisting that educational institutions must be safe environments for learning rather than places where children are exploited.
“Safety of Ghana’s children is non-negotiable,” the organization stressed, urging the Ministry to move beyond condemnation and demonstrate its commitment to protecting pupils through concrete action.
The statement comes amid allegations of sexual misconduct involving the headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School, Zakaria Abdulai, who has been suspended pending investigations into allegations involving female students.
On October 13, 2026, the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, directed the Ghana Education Service (GES) to take immediate steps to suspend Mr. Abdulai following reports of alleged sexual misconduct involving a female student.
The Ministry also requested the Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters to investigate the allegations.
The GES subsequently interdicted the headmaster pending a full-scale investigation.
Against this backdrop, Zonta is calling for a broader commitment to ensuring that reports of sexual abuse in schools are investigated promptly and that anyone found culpable faces appropriate sanctions.
The organization insists that teachers and head teachers must not be shielded from accountability because of their positions or professional connections.
It is also calling for school authorities and education officials who suppress credible reports of abuse or intimidate survivors to be held accountable.
Zonta wants the Ministry to ensure that reported cases are subjected to swift, independent investigations, with due process observed and appropriate sanctions imposed where wrongdoing is established.
The organization further called for a zero-tolerance approach to sexual abuse in all educational institutions, arguing that the responsibility to protect children must be reflected in the actions of school leaders and education authorities.
“A teacher’s position is not a licence to exploit a child, and a headmaster’s authority is not a shield against justice,” the statement declared.
Beyond investigations and sanctions, Zonta is urging the Ministry to strengthen systems that prevent abuse and enable pupils to report misconduct without fear.
Its demands include confidential reporting channels, regular monitoring of schools, immediate protection, and psychosocial support for survivors.
The organization also warned against victim-blaming, intimidation, and retaliation against children who report abuse, stressing that survivors deserve dignity, justice, and support.
